bought a 2002 Ultra today - did I make a mistake? (Update)

[00Beast]

Not a bad looking car, definitely had it's fair share of being worked on tho.

Next time, don't update your first post, just include it in your last post. Helps keep things organized.

[Billha]

Well, I called several local auto body shops yesterday and asked each of them the same question - roughly how much would it cost to repaint the trunk and blend the rear quarter panels with white diamond pearl paint on an '02 Park Avenue. The 'rough' estimates varied from $350 to $1500! So today I took the car to 1 place today, the place that gave me the lowest verbal rough estimate...MAACO.

What a disappointment. The facility was a dump. And after looking over the car for 10 minutes and then working on his PC for 20 minutes (yes, really 20 minutes!) the first guy handed me an estimate for $930! Wow! $930 to repaint just the trunk lid and blend the tops of the rear quarter panels, and that's at MAACO! When I questioned the $600 difference between the verbal phone estimate and the in-person estimate, another estimator approached me and asked what was going on. I told him the scoop, and he said the guy on the phone must not have known it's a 3-stage paint color. I told him that I told the guy on the phone that it was white diamond pearl and I didn't want single-stage paint that they also offer. He said he'd come look at the car. He spent all of 3 minutes looking it over and said he could knock at least $200 off the estimate. I asked him how that was possible. He said something about being a manager and having the authority to do that, and how sometimes they over-estimate. Really? Amazing. Although I wasn't interested in doing business with them at that point, I asked if he'd give me another written estimate, and he said sure. We went inside, and in a matter of 3 minutes he produced a printed estimate for an even $700. I can't believe they pull stuff like that. What a waste of my time.

Can any of you recommend an honest auto body shop in Southern California?

At this point I'm seriously thinking of buying spray cans of 2-stage automotive paint and clearcoat or buy the base and clear coat paint in liquid form, plus the other materials, and spray the trunk lid and blend the sides myself. Do you think I'm crazy? I've cut out rust, filled it, sanded it, and sprayed rear quarter panels on a car once before, and it turned out well. What have I got to lose?

[1oldman]

I guess it depends who does the work. I think this price was very reasonable for what he all did..

This is to fix the rust and dent on the drivers door, and to repaint the driver fender and door, and the bottom of all 4 doors.

The body shop I use charges $150 per panel to prep and paint. That would make your Ultra paint job of one fender and four doors cost $750 just to paint plus the added cost to repair the "cancer". Too bad your paint & body man doesn't open a shop down here. The places that charge what you paid for your paint and body work looks like it came from a shade tree paint & body man. Your guy does some really good looking work. - BC

[1oldman]

Well, I called several local auto body shops yesterday and asked each of them the same question - roughly how much would it cost to repaint the trunk and blend the rear quarter panels with white diamond pearl paint on an '02 Park Avenue. The 'rough' estimates varied from $350 to $1500! So today I took the car to 1 place today, the place that gave me the lowest verbal rough estimate...MAACO.

What a disappointment. The facility was a dump. And after looking over the car for 10 minutes and then working on his PC for 20 minutes (yes, really 20 minutes!) the first guy handed me an estimate for $930! Wow! $930 to repaint just the trunk lid and blend the tops of the rear quarter panels, and that's at MAACO! When I questioned the $600 difference between the verbal phone estimate and the in-person estimate, another estimator approached me and asked what was going on. I told him the scoop, and he said the guy on the phone must not have known it's a 3-stage paint color. I told him that I told the guy on the phone that it was white diamond pearl and I didn't want single-stage paint that they also offer. He said he'd come look at the car. He spent all of 3 minutes looking it over and said he could knock at least $200 off the estimate. I asked him how that was possible. He said something about being a manager and having the authority to do that, and how sometimes they over-estimate. Really? Amazing. Although I wasn't interested in doing business with them at that point, I asked if he'd give me another written estimate, and he said sure. We went inside, and in a matter of 3 minutes he produced a printed estimate for an even $700. I can't believe they pull stuff like that. What a waste of my time.

Can any of you recommend an honest auto body shop in Southern California?

At this point I'm seriously thinking of buying spray cans of 2-stage automotive paint and clearcoat or buy the base and clear coat paint in liquid form, plus the other materials, and spray the trunk lid and blend the sides myself. Do you think I'm crazy? I've cut out rust, filled it, sanded it, and sprayed rear quarter panels on a car once before, and it turned out well. What have I got to lose?

There are some really good tech posts "how to" paint on this board. Read up on them and than decide if you think you are "up to the task". If you think so, than buy all means do it. That is exactly what I do. I hope if you tackle the job it turns out really good. There's little worse than knocking yourself out on a project and having it be a flop. - BC

[harofreak00]

The places that charge what you paid for your paint and body work looks like it came from a shade tree paint & body man. Your guy does some really good looking work. - BC

He's a one man business, and does great work.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UT ... 6,,1,-1.67

Too bad I now live about 200 miles north of him or I would continue to go to him. I do have another body man up here that is my "go-to man" though

[BonneMe]

If you want to save, the only way to get the real multistage paint and a lower price is to have no blending on the rear 1/4's. The tintcoat may hide the difference as it's right near the top arch of the trunk.

[harofreak00]

Agreed. Have you looked for an in-color trunk lid from a salvage yard? You might need to get it shipped in, but its still going to be way cheaper than painting.

[Billha]

Unfortunately, not blending the rear quarter panels isn't an option because the paint on top of each quarter panel is cracked just like the paint on the flat surface of the trunk. And I didn't previously note this, but there's pin striping from front to back on each upper side; the guys at MAACO said it's paper tape, so that'll have to be replaced after the tops of the rear quarter panels are repainted.

I've already contacted someone regarding the purchase of a trunk lid in that color. Bad news. He said the trunk lid is $250 and it'll probably cost another $250 to ship it to Ca. (he's still trying to get a freight quote for me).

[Billha]

I just called another local auto body shop and also 1-day paint and body, and both places told me that repainting the trunk and blending the rear quarter panels will cost around $1,000.
Amazing.

I guess painting the entire car would then cost around $10,000 even at one of these not-known-for-quality shops!

[willwren]

It's not the size of the car that drives the cost. The whole car will be far cheaper than 10k because they're already prepping and mixing.

[1oldman]

Agreed. Have you looked for an in-color trunk lid from a salvage yard? You might need to get it shipped in, but its still going to be way cheaper than painting.

This tactic worked really well for me on a gas filler door. Sanded it down very lightly and put two coats of clear coat on it. Can't tell it didn't come on the car. - BC